Imagine a school where the world’s finest fly fishers — men & women with unbelievable skills, a passion for teaching, and a deep and abiding love for the natural world — come together for one week out of the year to share their knowledge with a handful of thoughtful and engaged students.

Now imagine that this class — a class known as The Tao of Trout — takes place in the wilds of Idaho, in the shadow of Yellowstone Park, on one of the most beautiful and iconic trout streams in the world: the Henry’s Fork.

Consider the possibilities …

There is only one The Tao of Trout class scheduled for 2024. Here’s what you need to know:

Class: The tao of Trout

Dates: Sunday, october 6th through Saturday, october 12th

Location:  Trouthunter in Last chance, Idaho

Class Size: 12 students max

Instructors & Presenters:  John Juracek, Tom Rosenbauer, Craig Mathews, bob white, HIlary Hutcheson, Kirk Deeter, Tim Romano, Steve McFarland, Pat McCabe, Karlie Roland, Brant oswald, Lindsay Kocka, Todd Tanner

Cost:  $12,500 per student

Please watch the video below, then scroll down for more details. 

Details

Class Title: The Tao of Trout

Class Description: The Tao of Trout — loosely translated, “the way of the trout” — is the School of Trout’s week-long, head-first dive into the art of fly fishing. It’s the perfect class for anyone who hopes to create a deep and abiding connection to the natural world through their time on the water.

“Fly fishing is, at its heart, about our connection to something far greater and more perfect than modern existence, and we can’t help but feel real passion for an endeavor so wonderfully unadulterated and pure." School of Trout founder Todd Tanner in Hatch Magazine

The Tao of Trout class helps students interact with nature at a deeper and more personal level while providing a solid foundation in all aspects of fly fishing for trout.

Dates:  October 6th — October 12th, 2024

Location:  Our home for the week will be the acclaimed TroutHunter facility on the banks of the Henry's Fork in Last Chance, Idaho.  To learn more about TroutHunter, please visit their website.  

Instructors:  We will have a "who's who" of exceptional instructors and presenters rotating in and out throughout the week, including: John Juracek, Tom Rosenbauer, Craig Mathews, Bob White, Hilary Hutcheson, Kirk Deeter, Tim Romano, Steve McFarland, Pat McCabe, Karlie Roland, Brant Oswald and Todd Tanner. To learn more, please take a look at our Instructors & Presenters page.

Curriculum:  In addition to our overall focus on nature and awareness, we will cover a wide array of fly fishing information including: terminology; gear & equipment; basic and more advanced fly casting; lines, leaders & tippets; line handling & management; knots; fishing ethics; stream etiquette; wading techniques; spotting & stalking a trout; setting the hook; controlling and playing the fish; releasing the fish; insects and other fish food; flies; leader construction; reading water; mending; dry fly presentations; fishing difficult currents; getting the best possible drift; the basics of drift boat fishing; setting up a nymph rig; nymphing techniques; streamer techniques; soft hackle & wet fly techniques; choosing the right fly & presentation for any situation; fly construction; basic fly tying; angling photography; exploring new waters.

Lodging:  Students will stay in private, single-occupancy rooms at TroutHunter.

Food:  Students will order from TroutHunter's stellar Last Chance Grill menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Alcohol:  Our students are welcome to enjoy beer or wine with dinner if they so choose. 

Gear:  We recommend that students bring the fishing gear they plan to use in the future, as we can help them become more familiar with their equipment.  We will provide a list of recommended gear and equipment, while rods, reels, packs, lines, waders, etc. are available for purchase at TroutHunter.  We can provide loaner rods & reels for use during the class, if necessary.  

Travel:  Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from Last Chance, Idaho.  The closest airport is in Idaho Falls, Idaho, which is approximately a one hour and 15 minute drive.  

Cost:  The cost for the week is $12,500 per person.  That includes the entire class curriculum, all evening presentations and all lodging & meals.

Not Included:  Students are responsible for purchasing their own fishing licenses, as well as their travel expenses.  We also expect our students to leave a generous tip for the staff who serve our meals.

Conservation: We believe that every fly fisher worthy of the name should support efforts to protect our lands and waters. While it’s not a requirement, we hope that all of our students will donate a minimum of $1,500 each to a worthy conservation or environmental organization like Conservation Hawks or Trout Unlimited.

Recommended Items:  We will send students a full list of what they'll need for the class after their acceptance.

Cancellation Policy: We require half of the cost of the class as a deposit when a student is accepted. Until that deposit is received, a spot at the class is neither confirmed nor guaranteed. The remainder of the tuition is due on or before June 1st. All payments, including deposits, are nonrefundable unless the School of Trout is able to secure a replacement to fill the spot at the class. If a replacement is found, SOT will offer a full refund, less a 10% cancellation fee. While we will work to find a replacement in the event of a cancellation, we can not guarantee that we will be able to do so. As a result, we recommend that everyone who is accepted for a class purchases trip insurance that covers their costs in the event of a cancellation or another problem.

Photos: CLICK HERE to see pictures from a previous The Tao of Trout class on the Henry’s Fork.

Attend: If you'd like to discuss joining us in Idaho in 2024, please CLICK HERE to share your contact info and explain why you’re interested in the class.